Galva parade marshal Byers a grand choice indeed

A Galva native, Teresa Byers is Galva personified. She's Galva through and through.

DOUG BOOCK

A Galva native, Teresa Byers is Galva personified. She’s Galva through and through.

If you’ve got a question for City Hall, she’s a go-to. Her work there as a secretary the past 21 years has established her as a trusted – vital – source of information. She’ll either know the answer, or retrieve it for you.

If you want support for local teams, Teresa’s on the sidelines or courtside, ardently supporting the Maize and Blue.

If you need support for a local effort – such as a fund-raiser or benefit – she’s right there, digging in to help make it a success.

And for the past 11 years, until stepping down this past year, she’s been a key cog in the wheel which drives Freedom Fest. Quietly – and gratefully – her fingerprints are all over much of it. She’s labored long and hard, volunteering to help make Galva’s biggest event of the year something that’s not only enjoyed by local residents, but is recognized throughout central Illinois.

In a sense, she shrugs at her efforts.

“Galva is my hometown,” she allows. “I enjoy seeing people in town along with friends and family coming together for any event in Galva.”

But it’s that caring and devotion which has prompted the Freedom Fest committee to name Byers the grand marshal of the 2014 July 4 parade, which begins noon Friday.

You’d be hard pressed to find a better choice.

“She’s stepped down but she’s been so helpful to us,” Newman said of Byers, who was saluted by many people on the Galva News’ Facebook page after announcement of her grand-marshal honor last week. “She gave us all her notes and tidbits about Freedom Fest. She’s even come to a couple committee meetings. We’re very thankful for her help.”

Not one for fanfare, Byers said simply that she’s “honored” to be named grand marshal.

“It was not something I expected at all,” she said.

And just as quickly, she points to those with whom she’s worked on Freedom Fest, rather than her own efforts.

“I have been privileged to work with many great people on the Freedom Fest committee,” said Byers, 53, a 1978 graduate of Galva High School. “It really takes a team of volunteers to pull off the events and I was lucky enough to work with dedicated members.

“I also enjoyed working with the different organizations, businesses, clubs, churches and people associated with the Fourth of July festivities.”

Starting in 2003, when she joined the committee for Galva’s 2004 sesquicentennnial, Byers had labored many hours on behalf of Freedom Fest. I’d like a dollar for every time I’ve asked her for information about the event, or seen her standing at the entrance gate with a bucket to accept donations before the fireworks. (Who wants to do that?!)

Her response? She simply carried the baton a few years, and now has handed it off, with faith in those who now carry it.

“I would like to commend Michelle Newman and the new committee members on a job well done,” she said Monday. “This annual event will be a city tradition for many, many years.”